Investors, entrepreneurs, highly-skilled professionals, researchers, and workers performing inter-company business may apply for residency by visa for entrepreneurs. Spouses and children below 18 years old or elderly parents dependent on the applicant are included.
What is the visa for entrepreneurs?
The visa for entrepreneur or startup visa is a newly created visa that will allow the applicant to live in Spain during a two-year period provided that you have a startup project that is innovative and aligned with the industries particularly significant to Spain like green energy, the atmosphere, water and water treatment, health sciences, biotechnology, and aeronautics and aerospace, and can provide employment for Spaniards.
Once this visa has been granted and you have either started a business or made a capital investment in a startup, you may now apply for a Golden Visa which will grant the applicant permanent residency in five years. The entrepreneurial investment must be at least one million euros and can be any of the following types:
- Opening a business or starting an entrepreneurial project that is aligned with the significant industries.
- Highly qualified professional individuals who are experts or highly qualified in the significant industries.
- For those who engage in research or educational activities.
No matter the amount of investment, it must be maintained in Spain for a minimum of five years. After the five years period is over, the applicant will obtain permanent residency in Spain and after ten years can apply for Spanish citizenship.
Residency visa for capital investors
Applicant must invest at least €2million in Spanish bonds or shares in a duly registered Spanish company or deposit with Spanish financial institutions
Residency visa for acquisition of real estate
Applicant must purchase real estate of at least €500,000 in any part of Spain.
Types of visa for entrepreneurs:
Residency visa for entrepreneurs and business activities
Applicants must present an approved business plan by the Spanish Commercial Office that aligns with the general economic interests of Spain and must be developed in Spain with the intention of staying for at least one year to include business development. The business must be innovative in nature and in alignment with the economic interests of Spain.
Residency visa for highly-skilled professionals
The application for the residency visa for highly skilled professionals that have a job offer in Spain in management, highly-qualified staff at large businesses or corporations, Small and Medium Enterprises in strategic sectors. The application must originate from the company that is need of the highly-skilled professional. This visa is also issued to graduates and post-graduates from universities and prestigious business schools. This visa is issued by the Large Enterprise and Strategic Economic Unit of Spain and granted by the General Directorate of Immigration.
Residency visa for training or research
The residency visa for training or research is issued to applicants whose activities require training, research, development and innovation in public or private institutions in Spain. These applicants can be a researcher, scientist and technician or teacher.
Residency visa for intra-company transfers of employees, professionals or trainees
The residency visa for intra-company transfers of employees, professionals or trainees is available to those from foreign companies who have established relationships with a company in Spain or have a branch or main office in Spain. They must hold high positions at a company outside of Spain and whom their company wants to transfer to their branch or main office in Spain. The foreign company must apply for the visa for employee, professional or trainee.
Residency visa for family members
The residency visa is for the family members of the holder any type of the entrepreneur visas and is available only to the spouses and children under 18 years old or the holder’s elderly parents who are dependent on the holder.